First off, I’m not a huge porter fan. That was, until this porter hit my unsuspecting tongue. In general, porters are a bit weak for me, I like big, smooth and robust and typically the porter just doesn’t hit those notes for me. This one, however, is a whole different story. As I said, robust is more up my alley and they don’t call this Emmett’s creation just that for nothing. A very, very dark brown, the color is given away solely by its edges, the core looking more black on initial view. The head is aggressive at first, mine popped to three fingers before calming to a finger of pure, unadulterated foam. No tears in its tan sheath, the head was buoyed by a beautiful body of stout-like strength. The aroma, too, was robust, chocolate, malt and coffee blending together in seemingly perfect, equitable balance. Just a hint of earthy, resiny hops peaked through the heavy nose.
Shouting to be tasted, I acquiesced. Again, robust it was, a bursting, forward flavor of dark, earthy, roasted malts finishing in a just barely thinner finish, the only factor giving away its porter roots. There was a bit of a lighter malt, root beer-like for just a second, also reminiscent of porters of the past, but it still confidently shunned its weaker brothers, with shouts of malt, dark chocolate and a bittering finish.
Another great one from Emmett’s and my new-found porter go-to.